The all new using what you have from your Freezer, Cupboard or Shed (Barn)

LotsOfTea

The keema curry was good, I had the last of it for lunch today and I made a big pot of soup to carry me through the next few days of lunches. It's made of 2 courgettes, the leaves of a kohlrabi I bought this week as they go off first and the remainder of a wilty celery that was languishing in the fridge, all gussied up with some Caribbean curry powder and stock and a good handful of red lentils. It tastes good so I'm looking forward to eating that. 

I also made use of the fact that the carrots I bought came with leaves and made them into a sort of pesto with cashews, oil and lemon juice. There's loads so I might freeze some as I'll struggle to use it all quickly. 

I tidied up a shelf full of random cans in the kitchen today which was useful to remind myself what needs using up. I still haven't eaten the tin of veggie ravioli but I will, honestly! I also seem to have 2 tins of mushy peas so it's definitely time to make chips. 😀

Pollie

Not been lucky enough to see any kohlrabi where I live yet. Love it roasted.
If you have any ham stock or stock cubes, a tin of mushy peas and a chopped potato makes a nice pea and ham soup.

LotsOfTea

Kohlrabi is great in coleslaw too - lovely and crunchy! Good idea about making the peas into soup although being of the vegetarian persuasion I reckon I could use veggie stock and maybe a little bit of smoked paprika instead of ham stock. I'll give it a try once I've got through the large amount of soup I made today. 😁

Cherryfudge

Darn it, @LotsOfTea, I have eaten healthily today and now I want chips! Proper chip shop ones! Even though I'm full.

@Pollie, thanks for the pea and ham soup idea: I have all those ingredients and some need to be used up.

I had my friends round yesterday for pizzas and salad followed by some luscious sweet treats from the bakery, courtesy of one of my friends. They also helped me finish the sweet potato fries. This morning I had cold pizza for breakfast. Lunch finished up the prepared salad with some tuna left over from finishing the avocado. Pudding was the last of the vanilla slices. (Yum...) The fridge is still far too full but I think most of it is now healthy food.

I bought sausages and southern fried chicken the other day (now frozen) so DH had chicken for his evening meal today while I was working. I had crudites and hummus before work and coronation chickpeas afterwards.

Tomorrow I will need to have a sort out because things need to be eaten up or cooked into something. There's still a Cos lettuce and cherry tomatoes, at least half a punnet of green grapes, the rest of the chickpea mix, some hummus, lots of carrots, a bit of beetroot, the rest of the crudites, blueberries, ricotta, kale, peppers, yogurt and some pate... that's the fresh stuff in the fridge.

Outside of the fridge there are lemons, mushrooms, eggs and two mangoes to use up, but the mangoes are the most urgent. I really need to keep away form the excellent discounts around lunchtime at our local Sains.

It's also elderflower time so I might make cordial or sorbet (hence lemons).

Cherryfudge

I didn't get very far with the fridge sorting but I've finished the coronation chickpeas, hummus, carrot sticks and celery. DH added a pepper to the tuna pasta for tea and is planning to use the other Southern friend chicken pieces tomorrow. It's all progress.

I also came across Miser's Marmalade so I've chopped and frozen some satsuma peel in the hope of making it.

Cherryfudge

Today so far I've used odds and ends in an omelette and frozen the remaining peppers. The rest of the beetroot also went into lunch and I've added salt to the ricotta as it was very dull and wasn't getting eaten. Might try it again later once the salt has (hopefully) been absorbed.

I also opened a tin of mixed beans, intending to add some to the omelette, then forgot to use them, so I might be inventing a ricotta and bean something later.

Cherryfudge

The mixed beans mentioned above were turned into my first-ever home-made hummus, which was a good move as I was very happy with it and have had quite a few lunches from it.

The ricotta is still waiting to be eaten - I'm not sure how long it keeps.

Today I came across some pepperoni that's been in the freezer for ages so I added a bit to a vegetable fry-up with salmon and chips. It worked well, so the rest of the pepperoni may now get used over time.

I've taken some chicken out to make curry tomorrow, and I'm gradually building a stock of chopped citrus peel in the freezer to make 'miser's marmalade'. DH tells me he's used up the frozen peppers but there are now more fresh ones in the fridge.

Things needing to be used up soon now include ricotta (if okay), lettuce, avocado, grapes, stilton, pate and eggs.

LotsOfTea

Once you've made your own hummus and realised how easy it is and how much you get from one tin of chickpeas or whatever other beans you use it's a revelation! When I make it I freeze some because you get so much. It just needs a stir after defrosting and it's good to go.

We had burgers yesterday for tea as we've got tons of beef ones in the freezer from a Costco trip a few months ago and I was pretty sure I had plenty of veggie burgers in there as well but it took me ages to find the damn things. I seriously need to properly organise the freezer once I've used enough stuff up from there to be able to move things around properly. Mine (the veggie one) was nicely flavoured (Thai green curry spiced) but a bit dry round the edges once cooked which I think indicates it had been lurking in there too long. 

I've got a few different leftovers to use up in the next few days, some rice, some squash & chickpea curry, some spiced courgette soup, and some tomato & veggie sausage pasta. After that I will see what else I can hoik it of the freezer and use up.

wumph

So glad I found you again.  Found chopped up leeks/celery/stalk ends from asparagus tucked away there. A portion of soup,  something else ??  but I know its savoury, some cooked apple.Used up a bag of whizzed up broc florets and stalks to make cheese and broc soup,  been ther ages,  did not really want to eat it but thought the soup might be OK but no, just had small portion and had to sling the rest,  it smelt toooo strong of broc.  Dare not look any where else yet.  I do not worry about sell by on tins but trying to sort out and am making plenty of pasta dishes too to use up some of the pasta shapes cous cous/orzo/shels/twirly sort. Quite happy looking through these pages.  Thank you. x

wumph

I am using some of my white beans with a cut up sausage, pepper, spinach, onion and tom paste in a sort of casserole in the AF tonight,  will still have 1/3 of tin left,  had some with orzo last night so the last may have to go in freezer. Will use some beefburgers tomorrow I think and I bought some sous vide ostrich steaks, 2 per pack, have one of those left in fridge, keep in fridge,  they are lovely so may do with chips.  Very exotic.  Just because I am old does not mean I am not experimental.